|
Build Thread: Indian Hill Curly Maple GC-12 Cutaway for TAMCO
Just getting started on my next build for Trevor at The Acoustic Music Company. This one is going to be a Grand Concert 12-fret cutaway (flush to the heel) with curly maple back/sides and sitka spruce top.
Here's the wood... https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-P...o/IMG_3790.jpg Joining the top... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-e...o/IMG_3792.jpg I can't really think of a simpler jig to join tops/backs -- one clamp yet incredibly effective! Once the top is joined and cut to shape, it's time to make the rosette. I start by choosing sections of spalted maple... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-S...o/IMG_3795.jpg Once I've decided on a section I want to use, I mark the center of the circle and simply draw/cut lines radiating from that point. By doing this there's no worry that the various sections won't line up and form the ring I'm intending. Three sections glued up... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t...o/IMG_3798.jpg Next I cut out the spalted maple ring slightly larger than the final size... https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-N...o/IMG_3799.jpg I glue the oversized ring into a slot in my top... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S...o/IMG_3802.jpg Once this is dry, I rout out either side of the ring to fit my purfling strips, glue them in and voila! https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c...o/IMG_3804.jpg This should be a fun and challenging guitar to build -- flush to the heel cutaways can be really tricky! Mike |
Good pics. Fun to see how you go about it. What tonal characteristics do you expect to get from this body and wood combination. And what subtle build techniques will you use to lean the tone one way or another.
|
Like that rosette
|
Quote:
I've started in on the bending and laminating process for the sides. Here's the cutaway being bent... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-5...o/IMG_3811.jpg And positioning the back... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2...o/IMG_3794.jpg Today I'll continue on with preparing the cutaway -- this next little bit is one of the most challenging parts of the build. More pictures on the way! Mike |
Looking good Mike. I'm looking forward to getting my hands on it.
|
Made some more progress on the cutaway these past few days. For those that might be uncertain what I mean when I say flush to the heel, here's an example of one I made a few years back...
http://indianhillguitars.com/graphics/cutaway_views.jpg The obvious difference between this and most cutaways is that I maintain the same heel shape with a perfectly smooth transition to the side. Some of the main challenges in this style of cutaway are getting the wood to bend in more ways than one (follow the curve of the sides and of the heel at the same time) and keeping everything perfectly lined up and on center. In order to achieve this, I made a bending/lamination mold for the cutaway section... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-o...taway+mold.jpg As you can see, it starts flat and perpendicular to the top/back. As it approaches the fingerboard it starts to angle but still remain flat. Once it reaches the end-block, it starts to transition from flat into the final heel shape. Since it is such an amorphous shape, this all has to be carved by hand. Now comes the challenge of laminating! For the flat sections, I use the same brace and bolt system that I use to laminate my sides. However, for the curvy heel section, I need to make a caul that is an exact fit (plus the thickness of the sides) in order to get perfectly fit lamination. So, plaster of paris to the rescue! https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-G...o/IMG_3813.jpg And here's a shot of the cutaway being laminated with the plaster mold and brace/bolt system... https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-l...o/IMG_3822.jpg That's it for now. Next up is carving the block! Mike |
I love your work Mike! It will be a wonderfull guitar, and the rosette is pretty cool!
|
This is looking great. I'll be following this with anticipation.
|
Quote:
Quote:
While I've been working away on the cutaway section, I enjoyed the much easier task of laminating the rest of the sides... https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-1...o/IMG_3819.jpg One day I'd like to make some sort of 3-D replicating jig, but for now the best way I have to fit the block is using chalk... https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D...o/IMG_3824.jpg Push the block into position, wiggle it ever so slightly, pull it back and sand away the chalk marks. Takes a while but gets a great fit! https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-V...o/IMG_3826.jpg Very satisfying to finally get this section glued up! https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-f...o/IMG_3828.jpg Next I'll put all the parts of the sides together and get on with bracing the back. Mike |
Looking great Mike!
|
Towards the end of last week I was able to get the sides joined up. Quite a rewarding feeling after spending so much time preparing the cutaway section!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-p...o/IMG_3830.jpg Nothing too tricky coming up so the next little while should zip along. Here I'm gluing on some laminated maple strips to give some long grain stiffness to the back... https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7...o/IMG_3833.jpg Each brace is two 2.5 mm strips of maple laminated into a 15' arch. Bracing a back with a typical ladder bracing adds almost no long grain stiffness, so for me adding these braces is key to getting a more even distribution and helping maintain the arch. My center strip is also laminated but with a thin cross-grain layer of spruce and a thin maple strip on top. If all goes well the back will be glued on by the end of the day and it's on to bracing the top! Mike |
Now that the back is on, you can finally start to see the shape of the cutaway...
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-o...o/IMG_3844.jpg Today I'll finish up bracing the top and hopefully have it tuned and glued on tomorrow! Mike |
Your cutaway-neck-joint is great!
|
This is looking sooo great Mike!
|
I love the look of the cutaway.
|
Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
I spent the end of last week bracing and tuning the top. In order to be consistent with how I brace and tune my non-cutaway tops, I decided to brace this one fully and then adjust for the cutaway section after. Here are some of the initial braces going on... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-S...o/IMG_3847.jpg As you can see those two angled braces have some pretty big scooped out sections. I could split the brace and leave that section out, but I really like the idea of having all of the braces tied together. I feel like it gives better pathways for the vibration to be distributed. Once the top is braced it's time to make and glue in the label -- much easier to do before the top is on! Years ago I made a stamp by cutting up a pencil eraser. Works great! https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-v...o/IMG_3853.jpg And here's the top fully braced/tuned and ready to be glued on... https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-p...o/IMG_3857.jpg Time to bind! Mike |
I've started in on the binding process for this guitar. Due to the cutaway, it's going to take a good bit more work than normal. One of the first jobs I did was the bind the point of the cutaway -- this starts with using knives and chisels to cut out a space for the binding using a ruler as a guide...
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-s...o/IMG_3861.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Q...o/IMG_3863.jpg I decided to keep the grain oriented the same direction as the binding to help give the impression that the maple is inset into the cocobolo... https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--...o/IMG_3865.jpg And gluing up the binding strips... https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-R...o/IMG_3870.jpg The cocobolo end graft... https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-l...o/IMG_3873.jpg Since the cutaway section is not square, I'll have to cut most of the binding and purfling by hand. To do that, I'll have to wait for my fancy new purfling cutter to arrive -- should be here in the next day or two! Mike |
Mike--this is really looking amazing. Love the binding on the point of the cutaway and how the cutaway flows into the neck joint. Can't wait to see the finished product--great stuff!
|
Quote:
As I mentioned in my last post, the general un-squareness of the cutaway section makes cutting binding channels with a router unfeasible. So, time to cut them by hand (after a bunch of tool sharpening)... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-M...o/IMG_3881.jpg Next I glued in the cutaway purfling strips before cutting out the slot for the main binding strip... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-_...o/IMG_3888.jpg And then the cutaway binding strip... https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-x...o/IMG_3899.jpg This last shot shows what I mean about having the binding on the point flow with the rest of the binding. Just a little bit more work and it will be fully bound! Mike |
I was finally able to finish up the binding on this guitar -- it took a long time but I'm quite happy with how it turned out!
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/gm...A=w611-h814-no https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-M...o/IMG_3912.jpg https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-O...o/IMG_3914.jpg https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-f...o/IMG_3918.jpg https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-0...o/IMG_3921.jpg Time to get started on the neck. Hopefully by the end of next week I'll be ready to start french polishing. Mike |
beautiful
That is just beautifully done. It is the subtle details like this that I admire most about these build threads. I cannot wait to see this one under finish. Great work.
|
Quote:
As I was getting started on the fingerboard, I realized I had run out of my 12th fret inlays. Here's how I go about making them... I start by laminating 3 strips of ebony and mahogany to make a 3mm x 3mm block. Each individual strip is 1 mm thick... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7...o/IMG_3932.jpg A mahogany strip to make the cross section of the "H"... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-C...o/IMG_3937.jpg Add some extra ebony that will mostly be routed away... https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-G...o/IMG_3940.jpg More mahogany glued on with the ebony routed... https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-k...o/IMG_3942.jpg Almost there... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r...o/IMG_3949.jpg And done! https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-x...o/IMG_3953.jpg The final dimension is 9mm x 11mm -- pretty small! I'll cut ~2mm thick tiles from this every time I need to make a fingerboard. Luckily this is a job I only have to do every couple of years! Mike |
I really like your bracing, as well as your reinforcing of the sound hole. Very nice. Do you use elements of classical guitar fan bracing techniques? I'm trying to understand form a non luthier standpoint.:)
|
HA! Love the photo sequence showing the developement of your 12th fret inlay ... beautiful Mike!
|
Quote:
Mike |
Moving right along with the neck for this guitar. Here's one of the logo tiles inlaid on the 12th fret...
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K...o/IMG_3962.jpg Gluing up the top head veneer... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8...o/IMG_3957.jpg And the fingerboard being glued to the neck... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-T...o/IMG_3967.jpg Here's the neck all prepped for carving... https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9...o/IMG_3971.jpg And roughly carved out... https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-q...o/IMG_3974.jpg Now is when I have to take great care in shaping the heel and make sure it matches up with the shape of the sides. Definitely one of the most satisfying points of this build finally getting to see the neck joint. Final sanding of the neck/body this afternoon and then on to french polishing! Mike |
Beautiful work. I especially like your cutaway cap.
Steve |
Quote:
Not too much of an update, mostly just french polishing these past few days... https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-R...o/IMG_3978.jpg A few more days of polishing before I let it sit for a week or so. If everything stays on track I should have it strung up in a couple of weeks! Mike |
Quote:
I´ve just read through this thread now, and I´m really impressed with your work, Mike! Everything from the bracing-system to the beautiful binding work is top-class. I especially like the "bolt-on"-way of laminating the sides. I´ve never seen that technique before, but its brilliant. I know everybody who´s laminating sides are doing it for extra stability, but do you have any other reasons for doing that? Really looking forward to hearing this guitar later on! /Niklas |
Its looking fantastic Mike. I can't wait to get my hands on it.
|
| All times are GMT -6. The time now is 12:55 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum